PIANOMANIA Poll: Which International Piano Competition Will Most Further The Career Of Its Winner?

PIANOMANIA POLL RESULTS:

WHICH INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION WILL MOST FURTHER THE CAREER OF ITS WINNER?

Thank you for your response. This poll ran for almost 6 months and there were 117 entries in total. Here are the results:

1ST PLACE: CHOPIN INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION (WARSAW), 54% of votes

Taking place once in 5 years, the Chopin of Warsaw (forget the other Chopin competitions) has consistently produced great performers, from Maurizio Pollini (1960), Martha Argerich (1965), Garrick Ohlsson (1970), Krystian Zimerman (1980), and most recently Rafal Blechacz (2005). Even “losers” did not do too shabbily: Vladimir Ashkenazy (1955) and Ivo Pogorelich (1980). The 2010 edition will feature a staggering 335 pianists in the opening elimination round. What will the piano be without Chopin?

2ND PLACE: VAN CLIBURN INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION (FORT WORTH, Texas), 35% of votes

This is the big one in the American continents. Every pianist who wants to break into the American circuit will need to do well in this. Its visibility is all-embracing, just check out its website. In Texas everything has to be big, even if the careers of its winners do not always match up. Its last truly great winner was Radu Lupu, and that was in 1966. Perception wise, the other American competitions have some way to go: Gina Bachauer (Salt Lake City) and Cleveland polled 5% & 2% respectively.

3RD PLACE: TCHAIKOVSKY INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION (MOSCOW), 28% of votes

A surprise given that this once-great competition has gone into decline. Its reputation probably lies in its past legacy: Van Cliburn (1958), Vladimir Ashkenazy & John Ogdon (1962), Grigori Sokolov (1966), Andrei Gavrilov (1974) and Mikhail Pletnev (1978). The last competition in 2007 did not produce a 1st prize winner. With Valery Gergiev and Richard Rodzinski at the helm of the next edition, its fortunes may soon change.

4TH PLACE: LEEDS INTERNATIONAL PIANO COMPETITION, 20% of votes

In the United Kingdom, Dame Fanny Waterman’s (left) empire still looks strong. Its recent advances to keep up with current technology are also laudable. However, can anyone name the last 5 winners of the Leeds? Again, its past legacy of winners like Radu Lupu (1969), Murray Perahia (1972), Dmitri Alexeev (1975) and Artur Pizarro (1990) looks comparably rosy. The Queen Elisabeth (Brussels) and London competitions trail considerably with 9% and 5% respectively.

TOP IN AUSTRALASIA:

All the competitions in Asia and Australia, while tops in their respective nations, do not loom high in the international standings. Sydney (Australia) and Arthur Rubinstein (Israel) are tied at 5%. Both are already well established competitions. The newbies from Hong Kong, Hamamatsu (Japan) and the China International made up the numbers at 4%, 2% & 1%.

Thanks again for your input, and watch out for the next Pianomania Poll!